First watched : Uncertain
Conversely this is the first programme I remember loathing. Perhaps it was because my sister loved it, ( always a good default reason if no others came to mind ) although when the subject of kids TV comes up for discussion I've yet to hear anyone champion this one.
It went back even further than Flower Pot Men , to 1950 when it was broadcast live and not recorded. The episodes being shown in 1968 dated from 1952 and had been endlessly repeated since. By 1970 the film stock was deteriorating so a further 13 new episodes in colour were made with the original puppets.
Fifteen minutes with Andy Pandy is a salutary experience. Maria Bird's narration sets the teeth on edge with her school marm hectoring - "Are you watching children ?" - and when she sings it gets worse. All the songs - "Hre we Go Louby-Lou", "Tme To Go Home" are searingly familiar as they were repeated every episode leaving no time for much story development. Bird just chuntered away stating the obvious while the three string puppets did their limited stuff with odd pauses, the better to hear taps dripping, people kicking things over and other extraneous events offscreen.
It's not surprising Pogles' Wood seemed so good when up against this crap.
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